Hardware failures are no longer a primary reason why most people discard their smartphones. It’s more often the lack of software support that forces users to buy a new one, and the cycle repeats.

After a few years, smartphone brands stop sending major OS upgrades that bring new features and upgrades across the system. Newly discovered security vulnerabilities remain unpatched, putting your data at risk. And modern apps are optimized to work best on newer versions of the operating system.

Even though the official software support ends, modern devices are still very much capable of delivering smooth everyday operations. That’s when custom ROMs play an important role. These are built by third-party developers to extend the lifespan of smartphones by providing regular security patches and new OS releases.

Which are the safest custom ROMs for your phone?

Since these alternative operating systems are built by third-party developers, you can’t just pick any that’s built for your phone. There are dozens of them on the internet, but the two we (and the entire custom ROM community) trust the most are GrapheneOS and LineageOS.

GrapheneOS is an open-source, safe, and highly hardened option available, but it’s exclusively available for Google Pixels due to their strict hardware security standards. LineageOS supports over 170 smartphones across various brands. It’s also a safe, open-source custom ROM with thousands of active developers and millions of users worldwide.

LineageOS 24: Android 17 with optional Google services

LineageOS 24 is the latest version of the popular custom skin built on top of Android 17. It is developed and maintained by an international community with a primary goal to keep smartphones up-to-date longer and give users more controls over their devices.

It’s a clean, lightweight custom ROM that comes without any additional apps, advertisements, and unnecessary services. It generally feels snappier and more responsive than most of the OEM custom skins. Older devices may also benefit from a positive impact on the energy efficiency — especially those who have become increasingly bloated over the years.

LineageOS is great for those who wish to share as little data as possible with Google by not opting to install Google apps and services. But those who need it can install a suitable package.

Not every smartphone is supported

LineageOS doesn’t support every phone and tablet that have stopped receiving official software support. However, it actively maintains builds for most of the popular devices.

The list of eligible devices is quite large, so there’s a chance yours may be included. You can find all supported devices on the LineageOS Wiki. Every device page includes download links, installation guides, and device-specific notes.

Take an extra minute to ensure that the device name and codename exactly match yours. For example, a Galaxy Tab S7 has multiple LineageOS builds based on which variant you carry. Brands often sell multiple versions of a device with different processors.

Important steps before installation

Unlike regular updates, installing a custom ROM requires a little extra care of your data and installation steps as it replaces the entire system software installed on your smartphone.

First things first: perform a complete data backup, including your photos, videos, documents, contacts, and other important data you don’t want to lose. You shouldn’t ignore this, as unlocking the bootloader completely wipes the internal storage.

You may also want to back up your data from apps you’re not signed into. Also back up your 2FA codes from authenticator apps or transfer your accounts to other devices.

Installing LineageOS or any other custom ROM requires an unlocked bootloader. There’s no universal guide on how to do this as the steps vary depending on the device model. Fortunately, the installation guide from LineageOS also includes the required bootloader unlocking steps for the specific device.

Unlocking the bootloader may void your phone’s warranty, and some security features and banking apps may not work. While the warranty issue shouldn’t be a concern on older devices, others are worth finding out in advance.

Installing LineageOS has become a lot easier

Installing a custom ROM used to be a bit complicated, but thanks to the new browser-based Lineage Flash Tools, the process has gotten significantly easier. The new tool handles the execution of commands, which can be intimidating.

Earlier, users had to set up environment paths and download individual platform-specific tools like ADB or Fastboot executables on the PC to run commands. Now, all of them are handled by the Lineage Flash Tools inside a Chromium-based browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Lineage Flash Tools lowers the barrier for beginners. However, it doesn’t handle each and every step. Users still are required to manually download the correct operating system image and unlock the bootloader.

On a compatible browser, open the tool’s web interface and connect your phone over a USB cable. You can also upload the installation files directly to your phone via the browser window.

LineageOS supports a vast number of devices from dozens of manufacturers, and not all of them follow the same installation process. Some devices may require additional steps or packages. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to follow the official installation guide. It tells you about the required files for your device along with download links, unlocking the bootloader, using the correct recovery environment, and additional instructions (if required).

If you carefully follow all the steps, your device should boot LineageOS without any issues. If you ever run into problems during or after installation, ask the official support channels on Reddit, Discord, or the IRC channel (#LineageOS on Libera.Chat).

Need Google services? Follow these steps

LineageOS doesn’t include Google services by default. If you wish to use Google Play Store, Google Maps, or Gmail, you need to install additional Google packages.

One of the most popular and commonly used solutions is MindTheGapps, which has been specially adapted for LineageOS. Download the required package and flash it onto your device.

Alternatively, users can opt for MicroG as a more privacy-friendly option, but mind the tradeoffs.

GrapheneOS: Exclusively for Google Pixels

Another popular name in the Android custom ROM space is GrapheneOS. However, unlike LineageOS, it’s exclusively built for Google Pixel smartphones due to its unique set of hardware-level security features.

GrapheneOS is aimed at users with high data privacy requirements. In fact, it’s considered significantly more secure and private than the stock Pixel ROM.

What makes GrapheneOS different:

• It uses a custom memory allocator (hardened_malloc) that randomizes memory locations and isolating tasks.
• It activates MTE by default for the base OS and allows you to force it on for all user-installed apps.
• It modifies the underlying Linux kernel to block app access to dangerous system calls.
• It allows users to set an alternate PIN or password that, when entered, completely triggers a factory wipe of the phone.
• It allows users to completely disable the data pins on your USB-C port whenever the device is locked to stop physical hacking tools from stealing your data.
• It features a customizable Auto-Reboot timer (ranging down to 10 minutes). If the phone remains locked and untouched for that period, it automatically reboots, wiping the active encryption keys from memory and placing the device in its most secure “Before First Unlock” state.

On a stock Pixel phone, Google Play services run with deeply integrated privileges, which could be a big concern for users’ high privacy requirements. GrapheneOS solves that by making it optional, but still can be used via an isolated environment (sandboxed Google Play).

For installing GrapheneOS, you can either use the WebUSB-based installer (easiest) or the command-line method, which is a little technical. The official guide has all the details you need to know. Follow the steps as per the guide and you should be running GrapheneOS on your Pixel soon.

If you run into any problems, get help from official support channels on Reddit, Discord, or the community forum.

The conclusion is that the end of official software support for a smartphone doesn’t necessarily mean the end of its life. There are great communities on the internet that are actively developing custom ROMs to make such devices last longer with regular security patches and major OS upgrades.

GrapheneOS is the best alternate operating system for Google Pixels, while LineageOS is available for a wider range of smartphones. The new web installer makes the installation easier than ever before.

The post How to install Android 17 on unsupported smartphones appeared first on Gizmochina.